Rotary brush



Feb. 16, S Z ETAL 2,311,135

ROTARY BRUSH Filed Jan. 9, 1941 s SAMUEL HE'EHIQIBIETZ m I%A|: E. EIZHINE- ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 16, 1943 ROTARY BRUSH Samuel Steinmetz and Isaac. E. Schine, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application January 9, 1941, Serial No. 373,792

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improvement in rotary brushes, particularly of the type adapted to be power driven for rotating engagement with the surface of the floor or other surface to be cleaned. These brushes usually consist of a circular head having brushing elements permanently secured therein, and when these become worn it has been necessary to detach the complete head from the machine and renew it. It is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary brush in which a series of brush elements are detachably engaged in pockets provided in a circular head, so that these individual brushing elements may be readily removed and renewed when they become worn without the necessity of providing a new head.

Another object is to provide brushing elements having improved rubbing surfaces formed from relatively soft flexible material, and which furthermore has a resilient action so that in addition to the rotating engagement with the surface to be cleaned the resilient action causes the brushing elements to have a slapping or agitating action which effectually loosens dirt. It is particularly proposed to provide a brush element having a rubbing surface consisting of spirally arranged rows of flap-like tongues formed of a flexible re.- silient material, these tongues flaring out from the center, so that as pressure is applied to the brush the tongues tend to spread outwardly into a flattened relation thereby increasing the scrubbing or rubbing surface in engagement with the floor or other surface to be cleaned. A further object is to provide a brushing or scrubbing element which through the rotary action of the head will have a heating or slapping, grinding and squeezing action upon the surface being brushed or scrubbed and with a minimum of abrasive action.

' A'further object is to provide brushing or scrubbing elements which. may be constructed of relatively inexpensive material and by simple manufacturing methods, and in particular to form such elements of a spirally wound strip of flexible resilient fabric having a series of tongues formed by a series of spaced parallel cuts extending inwardly from one longitudinal edge, and whereby the uncut marginal portion of ,the strip forms a relatively solid plug for inserting in a socket in the rotary brush head, while the tongues form a flared brush portion. It is particularly proposed to provide fabric in the form of relatively coarse material, as for instanceduck or canvas impregnated and coated with rubber, the strips from which the spirally wound brushing or scrubbing elements are formed being cut on the bias, so as to prevent raveling and to provide upon the cut edges a series of thread or strand ends which in cooperation with the cut rubber edges will produce an effective non-abrasive dirt removing rubbing surface for contact with the surface being brushed or scrubbed. This rubberized material is similar to that employed in tire making, and may in fact be reclaimed from used tires. Another object is to provide improved means for securely retaining the brushing or scrubbing elements in the head which at the same time will permit of their ready removal when desired. A further object is to provide a rotary brush which may be conveniently converted into a polisher by covering the brushing or scrubbing elements with a polishing covering of suitable material, the brushing and scrubbing elements in such use providingv a .resilientsupport for the polishing covering which willtend to flatten out through the application of pressure without producing uneven hard spots, and which will not tend .to puncture and project through the polishing covering as would be the case with bristle types of brushes.

With the above and other objects. in view, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a rotary brush, according to the exemplary illustrated embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale of the rubberized strip from which the brush elements are formed.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the brush element.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View, on the line 'l-'| of Fig. 2 and on the same enlarged scale as Figs. 3 to 6.

Fig. 8- is a sectional view showing a modified form of securing means for removably securing the brush elements in the head.

Fig. 9 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in section showing the rotary brush adapted as a polisher.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the rotary brush provided with an apron, according to the invention.

Similar reference characters indicate correa series of equally spaced circumferentially arranged cylindrical pockets l2 for receiving the brush elements as will presently more fully appear. Obviously the pockets l2 may be provided in any desired arrangement and number, de-

pending on the size and requirements of the rotary brush.

Centrally of each of the pockets l2 there is provided a vertical hole [3 extending to the upper side for receiving a securing bolt for the brush element, as will presently more fully appear. Thehead I0 is secured to the base flange M of the brush rotating shaft l5 of the machine by means of bolts I6 engaged through holes l! in the head. Inasmuch as the brush elements ac-- cording to the invention are individually removable ior the purpose of being renewed, the circular head member It may if desired oe per-- manently attached to the shaft l5, as it is not necessary to remove this head for the purpose of renewing the brush elements.

The brush elements are each formed from a spirally wound strip of rubberized fabric l8 provided along one marginal edge with a series of tongues l9 formed by a series of parallel cuts 28, the uncut upper marginal portion being spirally wound into a solid plug portion as shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 6, and being secured in this relation by a nail 2|, while the tongue portions I9 assume an outwardly flared position, the spiral rolling of the strip disposing these tongues in spaced ofiset relation to each other, so that, when downward pressure is applied, the end portions of the tongues individually engage the surface to be cleaned without tending to overlap each other and thereby lose their efiectiveness. In other words the arrangement is such that each tongue has suflicient space in which to flex and per- :form its cleaning operation individually.

In cutting the strip from the rubberized fabric it is cut on the bias so that the warp and weft threads of the relatively coarse material of the rubberized base, such as duck or canvas, are diagonally disposed and consequently there is no tendency to unravel and the ends of both the warp and weft threads or strands 22 are exposed along both the outer and side edges of each of the tongues so that they have the effect of numerous closely arranged minute brushes. These thread ends in cooperation with the sharply cut edges of the rubber covering of the cloth provide an effective dirt removing surface, which is extremely tough and long wearing and at the same time is resilient and non-abrasive.

The brush element is secured in the pocket l2 by means of a bolt 23 engaged upwardly through the central passage 24 in the plug portion of the brush element, and through the hole l3 in the head, this bolt being provided adjacent its head with a tapered wedging sleeve 25 of larger diameter than the passage 24, and which upon tightening of the bolt by means of the securing nut 26 draws up into the passage 24 with a tight wedging action, thus eifectually expanding and locking the plug portion of the brush element in the pocket l2. Obviously the brush element may be readily removed for the purpose of replacing it by a new brush element simply by disengaging the nut 26 and thereupon removing the bolt and brush element downwardly from the socket I2.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modified method of securing the brush element in the socket l2 consisting of a radially disposed set screw 21 screwed into a flanged threaded bushing 28 set in the outer end of a radial passage 29 in the head, this screw adapted to be tightened into engagement with the side of the plug portion of the brush element inserted in the socket 12 to indent into the side of the brush element and laterally compress it into tightly secured relation within the pocket.

In Fig. 9 we have shown the rotary brush according to the invention adapted as a polisher by means of a polishing cover 39 of suitable fabric engaged over the brush elements and secured at the upper side of the head as for instance by a draw string 3|. The brush elements provide a resilient cushioning support for the polishing cover, the resilient tongues tending to spread outwardly as pressure is applied, so that increased surfaces of the tongues engage the covering and thereby provide a firm backing for the covering, without any tendency to cut through or penetrate the covering.

In Fig. 10 we have shown the rotary brush provided with an apron secured about its periphery, as by tacks 32, and formed of the same strip material I 8 as the brush elements. The apron is preferably notched along its lower edge, as at 33, at suitable points, to allow it to flex outwardly as the brush presses downwardly in engagement with the floor. The apron functions to confine water and suds within the brush as the lat-- ter is rotated and moved about the floor being scrubbed.

We have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention, but it will be understood that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a brush, a head member having a substantially cylindrical walled pocket in one side and a central hole extending from the end of said pocket to the opposed side of said head member, a brushing element engaged in said pocket and comprising a strip of flexible material spirally wound to form a substantially cylindrical plug portion for engagement with the cylindrical wall of said pocket and a projecting brushing portion, there being a central passage in said plug portion axially aligned with said central hole in said pocket and laterally aligned with the cylindrical wall of said pocket, said projecting brushing portion having a series of cuts extending transversely of the strip from one longitudinal edge thereof to said substantially cylindrical plug portion providing a series of spirally arranged flexible tongues flaring outwardly from the axis of said brushing element, a securing bolt extending upwardly through said passage and engaged through said hole in the end of said pocket to removably secure said brushing element in said pocket, and wedging means carried by said bolt engaging said passage in lateral line with the cylindrical wall of said pocket and adapted upon tightening of said bolt to wedgingly engage and expand said passage and laterally compress said plug portion between said wedging means and said cylindrical wall of said pocket.

2. In a brush, a head member having a circular walled opening, and a brushing element engaged in said opening and comprising a strip of flexible material spirally wound to form a substantially cylindrical plug portion engaged and laterally confined in said circular walled opening and a projecting brushing portion, said stn'p consisting of coarse woven base over the surface of said fabric and through the mesh openings between the warp and weft strands, the longitudinal edges of said strip being out bias to the Weave of said fabric whereby both the warp and the weft strands are arranged diagonally between said longitudinal edges, said projecting brushing portion having a series of cuts extending transversely from one longitudinal edge to said substantially cylindrical plug portion providing a series of spirally arranged flexible tongues flaring outwardly from the axis of said brush element, the cut end and side edge surfaces of said tongues having the cut strand ends of both the warp and weft strands of the bias cut fabric exposed therein and each surrounded by resilient rubber impregnation and separated thereby from the adjacent strand ends.

3. In a rotary brush, a head member, and a brush element removably secured to the under 7 fabric and a resilient rubber covering and impregnation extending side of said head member comprising a series of vertically disposed side by side layers formed from strip material having parallel upper and lower longitudinal edges and consisting of a coarse woven base fabric and a resilient rubber covering and impregnation extending over the surfaces of said fabric and through the mesh openings between the warp and weft strands, the said longitudinal edges of the fabric strip material being cut bias to the weave of said fabric whereby both the warp and the weft strands are arranged diagonally between said longitudinal edges, said strip material having a series of cuts extending from one longitudinal edge to a longitudinal line intermediate the said longitudinal edges and providing a series of flexible tongues constituting the brushing surface, the uncut portion between said longitudinal line and the other longitudinal edge constituting a substantially solid attaching portion, the cut end and side edge surfaces of said tongues having the cut strand ends of both the warp and weft strands of the bias cut fabric exposed therein and each surrounded by resilient rubber impregnation and separated thereby from the adjacent strand ends.

SAMUEL STEINMETZ. ISAAC E. SCI-ENE. 

